James Scott Bell Books

Story loves structure ... and so do readers! Super Structure represents over two decades of research on what makes a novel or screenplay entertaining, commercial, original, and irresistible

A sweeping historical epic about dreams and dreamers, love and lovers, and the glitter factory of Hollywood! Two high school kids in small town Nebraska have their dreams. Zee, a minister's daughter, wants to be a movie star. Doyle, the son of a wealthy lawyer, expects to follow in his father's footsteps and practice law. But World War I explodes and changes everyone forever. When Doyle ends up on the battlefields of France, though he performs ably, he comes home disillusioned. Rejecting his parents' pleas to return to school, he finds himself in Los Angeles on the bottom rung of society. Unknown to him, Zee Miller is also in L. A., having run away from her father and the religion of her youth. But a stunning string of events, resulting in a charge of murder, will see their lives intersecting again in a way that may shatter them both.

Take your first draft from so-so to sold! You've finished the first draft of your novel--congratulations! Time to have a drink, sit back...and start revising. But the revision process doesn't have to be intimidating. Revision and Self-Editing for Publication, Second Edition gives you the tools and advice you need to transform your first draft into a finished manuscript that agents and editors will fight for. Inside you'll find: • Self-editing techniques for plot, structure, character, theme, voice, and more that can be applied as you're writing to reduce your revision workload. • Methods for fine-tuning your first draft into a tight, well-developed piece of literature. • The Ultimate Revision Checklist, which seamlessly guides you through the revision process, step by step. • New Chapter! Exercises and techniques for "deepening" your work to engage and excite readers like never before. Whether you're writing a novel currently or have finished the first draft, Revision and Self-Editing for Publication, Second Edition will give you the guidance you need to revise your manuscript into a novel ready to be sold.

Ramp up the tension and keep your readers hooked! Inside you'll find everything you need to know to spice up your story, move your plot forward, and keep your readers turning pages. Expert thriller author and writing instructor James Scott Bell shows you how to craft scenes, create characters, and develop storylines that harness conflict and suspense to carry your story from the first word to the last. Learn from examples of successful novels and movies as you transform your work from ho-hum to high-tension. • Pack the beginning, middle, and end of your book with the right amount of conflict. • Tap into the suspenseful power of each character's inner conflict. • Build conflict into your story's point of view. • Balance subplots, flashbacks, and backstory to keep your story moving forward. • Maximize the tension in your characters' dialogue. • Amp up the suspense when you revise. Conflict & Suspense offers proven techniques that help you craft fiction your readers won't be able to put down.

Spot and Fix Manuscript MisstepsDon't let the revision process intimidate you any longer. Discover how to successfully transform your first draft into a polished final draft readers won't be able to forget.In Write Great Fiction: Revision & Self-Editing, James Scott Bell draws on his experience as a novelist and instructor to provide specific revision tips geared toward the first read-through, as well as targeted self-editing instruction focusing on the individual elements of a novel like plot, structure, characters, theme, voice, style, setting, and endings. You'll learn how to:•Write a cleaner first draft right out of the gate using Bell's plotting principles•Get the most out of revision and self-editing techniques by honing your skills with detailed exercises•Systematically revise a completed draft using the ultimate revision checklist that talks you through the core story elementsWhether you're in the process of writing a novel, have a finished draft you don't know what to do with, or have a rejected manuscript you don't know how to fix, Revision & Self-Editing gives you the guidance you need to write and revise like a pro.

Craft an Engaging PlotHow does plot influence story structure? What's the difference between plotting for commercial and literary fiction? How do you revise a plot or structure that's gone off course?With "Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure," you'll discover the answers to these questions and more. Award-winning author James Scott Bell offers clear, concise information that will help you create a believable and memorable plot, including: Techniques for crafting strong beginnings, middles, and endsEasy-to-understand plotting diagrams and chartsBrainstorming techniques for original plot ideasThought-provoking exercises at the end of each chapterStory structure models and methods for all genresTips and tools for correcting common plot problemsFilled with plot examples from popular novels, comprehensive checklists, and practical hands-on guidance, "Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure" gives you the skills you need to approach plot and structure like an experienced pro.

His face did not twitch. In fact, its normally ruddy tones had disappeared. Now there was a dull grayness to the skin. His lips were the color of old plums.Which was when the first chill winds of disquiet blew inside her. "Pinky?"Nothing.She grabbed his jaw. His face was cold to the touch. She turned his head from side to side. And then Keely Delmonico-the former Rachel Fisk of Bismarck, North Dakota-backed away from the bed and tried to catch her breath.For call girl Keely Delmonico, having a client die was a new one. Now she has to avoid the cops and all their nasty questions. She manages to get out of the fancy hotel free and clear. But lurking in the shadows is another danger, a deadly one-a killer who is determined to make Keely's next step her last call. From "one of the top authors in the crowded suspense genre" comes a taut novel of murder and mystery set in Los Angeles and the bright lights of pre-pandemic Las Vegas.Rated PG-13: The material in the book would have been acceptable in a 1960s cop show like Mannix or Mod Squad or Hawaii Five-O.

From International Thriller Writers Award winner James Scott Bell comes the hit series about a vigilante nun cleaning up the streets of Los Angeles! Sinners beware. Since her first appearance in FORCE OF HABIT, Sister Justicia Marie has gained a legion of dedicated fans. Now the complete series of novelettes, including a new one never before published, is available in this collection. The titles included are: FORCE OF HABIT FORCE OF HABIT 2: AND THEN THERE WERE NUNS FORCE OF HABIT 3: NUN THE WISER FORCE OF HABIT 4: THE NUN ALSO RISES FORCE OF HABIT 5: HOT CROSS NUNS And for the first time anywhere: FORCE OF HABIT 6: NUN TOO SOON From "one of the best writers out there, bar none" (Library Review) comes a hero unlike any other in crime fiction-Sister Justicia Marie of The Sisters of Perpetual Justice.Criminals are the knuckles. She is the ruler. So be good. Praise from verified reviews for the FORCE OF HABIT series "This first book was so good that within minutes of reading it, I downloaded book two." "Action packed with both internal and external conflict, I was riveted the whole way through." "Sister Justicia is kicking butt and taking names! She knows how to clean up L.A. but good!" "James Scott Bell seems to be able to put more events in a 50 page novella than you're likely to find in some 300 page novels." "Highest possible recommendation! Five Stars!" "Honestly, they need to make a TV series about Sister J."

It's not every day you bleed to death... Things have started to turn around for Jonathan Curtis. He's out of jail and staying clean. When a car restoration job shows up, it's right in Jonathan's wheelhouse. This could be the first step in his dream of opening his own auto-body shop. A dream that is shattered when the job turns deadly. For Kris Boland, acting is what brought her to L.A. But when she rebuffs the sexual invitation of a top producer, her career begins to head south. Then her friend is arrested for a murder she is sure he did not commit. It's got to be a frame. Or does it? Somehow, Jonathan and Kris find each other in the deadly swirl, becoming the only hope each has of setting things straight before an innocent man is convicted ... or before a killer stops them both.

Kit Shannon hat sich fest vorgenommen, niemals einen Schuldigen zu verteidigen. Doch dann wird ein brisanter Fall an ihre neue Anwaltskanzlei herangetragen, der diesen Grundsatz in Frage stellt. Ein Polizist, mit dem sie schon mehrfach aneinandergeraten ist, wird des Mordes beschuldigt. Die Beweislast ist erdrückend. Trotzdem beharrt der Angeklagte darauf, dass ausgerechnet Kit ihn vertritt. Kit fühlt sich hin- und hergerissen zwischen ihren Überzeugungen und ihrem Mitgefühl für den früheren Gegner. Kann es Gottes Wille sein, dass sie diesen Mann verteidigt? Schließlich beteuert dieser hartnäckig seine Unschuld. Das Chaos ist perfekt, als Kit sich mit ihrer Tante überwirft und ihr ein früherer Mandant einfach nicht aus dem Kopf gehen will. Bald geht es in ihrem Privatleben ebenso turbulent zu wie im Gerichtssaal. Viel auf dem Spiel – nicht nur die Zukunft des Angeklagten, sondern auch ihre eigene.